Chapter Five
Fighting Demons
In the same evening that the two sisters were getting ready to escape, Rob was packing his suitcase in preparation for his move to France, just then there was a knock at the hotel room door. He opened it to find a tall grim faced man aged about thirty standing in the hotel corridor.
“Hallo and what can I do for you?” Rob asked politely. He took in his visitor in a moment, here in front of him was a man who was much in need of help of one kind or another, and very much like himself, Rob reflected.
“Can I come in; I need to speak to you about the death of my mother. I`m John Ryman, Christina and Cassie are my sisters and I need your help in finding them.” He said pushing by a very surprised government agent.
“You`re Christina`s brother, I knew she had a brother but she never really spoke much about you.” Rob replied.
“No well I`m the black sheep of the family, moved to London and then became a journalist, a breed of person my mother detested with all of her heart, so understandably we all just drifted apart. But enough of family memories, will you help me?” John Ryman asked. The urgency of his plea clearly showed on his face, as the pain he was suffering, which showed clearly in his voice.
“Shouldn`t you be asking this question of the police?” Rob suggested to the man who would soon become his brother in law, if Rob`s luck changed. He wanted to be away from England as soon as was possible, not answering questions from worried family members.
“I`ve already done that but they wouldn`t or couldn`t tell me much, anyway I was hoping that you would be more forthcoming. Are you going somewhere?” Ryman suddenly asked noticing the suitcase, a look of concern spreading across his gaunt face. “Surely you should be sticking around to find Christina and Cassie? My contacts told me that you work for some government agency attached to MI6, if so then surely you should be employing your skills, and those of your colleagues in looking for my sisters?”
Ryman had become very angry very fast, but Rob disregarded this, instead he now wondered just how this stranger knew so much about his work, not even Christina knew that much. He decided to give him five minutes of his time, not only so that he could learn more about this man and his contacts, but also because he supposed that it was the least he could do for Christina`s long lost brother.
“John, I`m just a lowly clerk in a boring office, I`m certainly not some glamorous secret agent, whoever put such nonsense into your head?” Rob replied.
“Never mind that, just tell me why you are running away.” Ryman demanded to know. He had stepped forward belligerently and looked to be on the point of striking Rob.
“Look I will tell you as much as I know.” Rob said trying to defuse Ryman’s growing anger. Rob then told him about Christina`s note, his two visits to the manor house and the death of John`s mother.
“So you see John, I`m off to France in the morning, I`ve decide to take a short break to get over the shock of all of this, it’s been very trying. And anyway the police are more than capable of looking into these vile crimes, let`s leave them to it.” Rob finally suggested.
“Bourbon is French, you`re going to France to look for my sisters there, aren`t you? Well I`m coming along with you.” Ryman said. His anger had evaporated and he was a lot happier now, for he could see that he hadn`t caught Rob in the act of running out on his sisters; Rob was actually chasing down a lead.
Rob groaned inwardly, he needed this like a hole in the head, but then Ryman said something that made him look up sharply.
“Mr Hinds, you do know that Bourbon is heavily into Satanism, don`t you? In all likelihood Christina and Cassie have been kidnapped for use by Bourbon in one of his disgusting ceremonies?” Ryman looked at Rob in expectation of a derisory comment; instead, Rob asked a question of him.
“John what do you know about Bourbon and his Satanic dealings, because you`re right, or so I believe, and we must get them back before anything happens to them. Oh and call me Rob, Mr Hinds is my father.” Rob replied and he in turn looked at Ryman but in expectation of hearing something to his advantage.
“Ok, Rob, here is my story. I first became aware of Ulysses Bourbon last year when my editor asked me to write a series of articles about the rise of Satanism. Unfortunately, I had the great misfortune to stumble onto Bourbon and his coven, and it was while I was investigating him that I received a visit from something that scared the living daylights out of me. I awoke to find the room was icy cold and filled with an awful smell. Then I saw something materialising at the foot of the bed, it was a full moon that night and I had no problem seeing the demon, for that`s what it was. I knew it was the real thing, Rob, my hair was literally standing on end and I have never been quite so scared in my entire life, I ran out of that hotel room and only returned the next day to collect my belongings. Then I headed back to London and took the first plane out to Los Angeles, where I stayed until I read about my mother`s death, and also of your involvement. Needless to say I didn`t continue with the series of articles, my editor understood as he too had had a midnight visitor, he and his wife almost died of fright. Thankfully that was all that Bourbon desired, to scare us off, or so I believed at the time, which he did most successfully.” Ryman smiled here but it almost didn`t register on his face, since his run in with Bourbon this was all he was ever capable of.
“I`ve also had the pleasure of a visitor from hell John, and I too took to my heels and ran, I ran right into a well-placed fist. Look, if we are to continue with our search then we won`t be given the opportunity to run again, we will have to stay and fight it out to the very end. Either we destroy Bourbon and his evil friends or we all die, you, me, Christina and Cassie, these I believe are the stakes. Now if those stakes are too high then please tell me now. I certainly will understand if you would rather leave it there. Although I never was a believer John, I certainly am now. I also believe that this will be one fight where normal safeguards just won`t be enough, I just hope that we can get through it, and all come out alive at the other end.” Rob looked at Ryman and waited his reply, it didn`t take long.
“A friend of mine gave me similar advice after my last brush with Bourbon, and I decided that the stakes at that time were far too high. My cowardice cost my mother her life and my two sisters are in the hands of a Satanist. You don`t have to worry about me Rob, I`m with you all the way this time around.” Ryman replied dourly. He no longer feared death, for it would at least release him from the terrible guilt he felt at having led Bourbon to his family, for Ryman firmly believed that his mother`s death, and the kidnapping of his two sisters, was Bourbon`s way of punishing him for his having wrecked Bourbon`s Satanic celebration.
“This friend of yours John, you say that he gave you advice, does he know much about the subject of Satanism?” Rob asked, for they were in need of some advice about a subject both men had previously thought to be no more than fiction.
“Yes he is an expert on the subject of the devil and all of his works; however I should warn you that he is a little unusual. He is an ordained priest, but not one with a church, the Catholic Church decided that he was following lines that were forbidden to them, so they sent him on a long sabbatical, so far he has been on it for five years.” Ryman said giving his best to smile at his new friend.
“John, you say that you fled the battleground like a coward, but surely this priest of yours should have taken up the sword long ago?” Rob asked.
“He was quite willing to take up arms with me, and I don`t need to tell you that it isn`t a job to be taken lightly. No, he told me that he would need help in his quest, help which is not forthcoming from the Catholic Church, and at the time, I was also unwilling to go up against Satan. For one man to go up against the devil and all his works would be suicidal, and that is not only a sin according to the Catholic Church, it would also be insane. No, he is simply waiting for the right men to come along and assist him in his quest.
Rob looked at Ryman for a moment before coming to a decision, he
normally worked alone and never with amateurs, but on this case, and with the lives of Christina and Cassie hanging in the balance, he knew he was in need of expert help that the department couldn`t provide.
“John, maybe you had better call your priest and ask him if he is willing to give us his help in this matter. If Satanism is a real force, and I for one am coming to believe that it is, then we could do with some expert help in saving Christina and Cassie, and maybe also keeping our own lives intact.” Rob decided.
Ryman called Father Pritchard`s mobile phone, and this time luck was running their way as Pritchard answered immediately. On hearing whom it was and as to why he was calling, Father Pritchard immediately told Ryman that he would be only too willing to help them in their quest against Bourbon, as long as Ryman would assure him that this time there would be no backing out when things began to get dangerous. Ryman assure the priest that this time there would be no chickening out, this time it was for keeps.
“John, where are you now and how are you proposing to travel to France?” Father Pritchard asked. Ryman looked over at Rob and repeated the latter part of the question.
“We`re catching the early morning flight from Southampton, it gets into Paris in time for breakfast, or we will be just as soon as I`ve booked you a ticket.” Rob replied. On hearing this Father Pritchard thought for just a moment before replying.
“John, I`m in my house in Salisbury, I think that maybe you should delay your departure plans until tomorrow evening. Drive over to my house this evening and you can sleep here tonight. This will give you enough time to tell me more about your problem, if the three of us are going to be relatively safe during the next few days I will need to use tomorrow morning to get hold of some supplies. From what you have told me so far, I believe that your sisters will be relatively safe until midsummer’s eve, which is June the 21st. The 21st is a major celebration for Satanists all over the world, and Bourbon almost certainly kidnapped your sisters for this satanic celebration.” Rob didn`t like the delay and said so, but he had asked for the help of an expert and so he could hardly refuse to accept his expert`s advice.
The two men left Lower Boulding twenty minutes later after collecting Ryman`s suitcase from his hotel, a hotel just off the main highway, for the Vista Hotel had too many bad memories for Ryman, and his mother`s house was still being treated as a crime scene so the police had forbidden him to use it. Rob`s GPS tracker gave him the quickest directions to their destination, Father Pritchard`s address being supplied by Ryman. They arrived in Salisbury one hour later, Ryman opened his eyes as they stopped outside Father Pritchard’s house, for the speed at which Rob had been driving had scared the living daylights out of him and so he had closed them tightly shut. He wondered how Rob had managed to survive for so long. Father Pritchard was at the door to greet them, and he showed them into his small front room where they sat down after Ryman had made the introductions.
“Would either of you like a drink? I`m afraid that from this moment on it will have to be water, we mustn’t touch any wine or alcohol until we have dealt with Bourbon and his associates.” Father Pritchard said. Rob was a little annoyed at this, but asked for a glass of water anyway as he was a little thirsty.
“John, how are you coping, is life treating you a little better?” Father Pritchard was very concerned about the young journalist, especially now he would be facing up to Bourbon again.
“Yes I`m fine Father, and don`t worry about how committed I am, this time there will be no retreating from the battle.” Ryman answered grimly.
“Have you had any further contact with Bourbon, or his little friends?” Father Pritchard asked.
“I haven`t but you were right of course, Bourbon does harbour grudges, and my family`s run in with Bourbon will testify to that fact.” Ryman replied, as all of his terrible feelings of guilt rose up and almost engulfed him.
Father Pritchard saw Ryman`s face go very pale, and he thought that he could guess the reason why. Although he felt sorry for the journalist, it was all his own doing, he had been warned to stay clear of Bourbon. Father Pritchard now turned to Rob.
“Rob, calling me Father Pritchard is a bit OTT, especially as I`m currently on an extended sabbatical, I`m David to my friends.” He announced much to Rob`s relief who much preferred to speak to friends on a first name basis, and he felt silly calling anyone father, except of course his own one.
“Now it is not only alcohol that we shall have to forsake, I`m afraid that our diet for the next few days will have to consist of only light meals, but definitely no meat. Luckily it is summer, and as we are to be on the continent then we can enjoy some of their delicious salads” Rob began to protest but Father Pritchard waved his protests away.
“I`m sorry Rob, from what I personally know about Bourbon I must insist on it. If we are to save John`s sisters, and our own lives too, then it is imperative that you abide by my ruling on this matter. Normally I would insist on starting the diet at least a week before we went up against a Satanist as powerful as Bourbon has become of late, but with midsummer almost upon us then we obviously cannot afford the time.” Rob found a smile somewhere and agreed to abide by his new friend`s instructions, in this matter at least Father Pritchard was in charge.
Outside the English summer took a turn for the worse and they could hear the rain beating against the windows of the room, the three men looked at one another and laughed, yes it was just the weather for salads. Rob then told Father Pritchard exactly what had happened over the last eight days. When he has finished Father Pritchard looked at his two friends and smiled grimly.
“It really is a right little pickle your family has got itself entangled in John. Let me tell you now of how I propose we should proceed. First of all we will have to spend each night sleeping inside of a pentagram, and John, after your last bout with Bourbon, I don`t think I will have to persuade you as to the necessity of this. How about you Rob, has the short time that you have been involved in the eternal war against evil made you realise that normal measures are just not good enough to fight against this sort of enemy?” Father Pritchard asked turning his full attention to Rob.
“A week ago I would have laughed at you David, now my beliefs have been turned upside down. That thing that I saw in the temple, the way it grew out of the ground terrified me, and I still don`t know how Bourbon was able to hypnotise me. Look if you say we need to sleep within a magic circle then so be it, I have roughed it plenty of times before and I probably will again.” Rob said in answer to Father Pritchard`s question.
It was getting late now so Father Pritchard led the two men through to a large room at the rear of the house. Its polished wooden floor was mostly empty; except that is for a massive Pentagram, he had drawn it in chalk moments after speaking to Ryman on the phone. It had a circle drawn around the pentagram, enclosing it, and at each point of the pentagram was a silver cup. In the middle of the pentagram were set three sets of blankets and a pillow each for their heads. To one side of these items was a large flask of water and three glass beakers.
“The circle is made of salt that I have blessed, in each of the silver cups I have poured some water that I have also blessed. The signs at each of the points denote the five elements, four are of matter, and they are fire, air, water and earth. The fifth element is not of matter it is spirit. Tomorrow I will go out and purchase a number of small bottles, I will fill half of them with blessed salt and the other half with blessed water; these will be for our personal protection against evil. I will also purchase some dried mandrake and some large strings of garlic, both of which are useful items that with luck will protect us against evil. The garlic we will wear around our necks and the mandrake we can keep in our pockets. I will also purchase three good quality sleeping bags, as I don`t think we will find the blankets that I have put down for us very comfortable, are there any questions?” Father Pritchard asked smiling.
“Why are we using garlic? David, we aren`t going up against vampires, our foes are only too r
eal, Bourbon and his allies.” Rob asked just a little bemused by the suggestion.
Father Pritchard looked a little put out at having to explain his words. “Garlic has long been used to ward off evil; it is probably why the writers of fiction first began to mention it in their stories. As you say Rob, we are not going to ward off Christopher Lee look alikes, we are hopefully going to keep far worse things at bay; things that might make you want to re-evaluate your present beliefs about good and evil. Hopefully these few things that we will carry with us will give us the confidence to stay firm and to fight, not only for Christina and Cassie, but also for the rest of the good people on our world.” Father Pritchard said a little angrily.
“I`m sorry David, this is all so new to me that you must excuse my ignorance in such things. Of course we will do as you advise; garlic it is, and if we have any left after the coming battle then we can use it in our cooking.” Rob said smiling at his two friends.
Even Father Pritchard smiled at his light hearted reply, but then his face was back to serious. “The next thing that we need to talk about is our means of getting to the continent. I think that as we shall be taking so many necessary things with us, such as our protection against the evil that we will almost certainly meet there, that we should take my Renault Megane as it`s an estate car. It will be roomy enough for the three of us plus our equipment. We can take the Portsmouth to Cherbourg ferry, it leaves at four o`clock tomorrow afternoon and we will be in France at eight o`clock their time.” Father Pritchard looked across at Rob to see if he would agree to this slower journey.
“He won’t be able to whip up a storm to delay us will he?” Rob asked. Both he and Ryman looked at Father Pritchard for his answer, for they couldn`t risk a further delay.
“You can book our tickets in the morning Rob, but we will go aboard the ferry only at the very last minute, this should prevent him from being able to do anything that would stop the ferry`s departure.” Father Pritchard said. “In any case each time that he uses his demonic friends it weakens him and it takes him a while to recover his normal strength. No with the upcoming celebration he won`t be able to afford to attack us using only the satanic forces, he is far more likely to use his human allies to rid himself of us.” Father Pritchard said.
“Then I will have to ensure that we are protected against a human foe David, while you look after any inhuman demons that he sends after us.” Rob said feeling a little easier in his mind about what they would be facing in France.
“Right my friends, if we are in agreement regarding our travel plans then it is late, and we should retire for the night and rest while we can. Knowing Bourbon as I do, I`m afraid that he might well pay us a visit during the small hours of tonight, in an attempt to scare us into dropping our travel plans.” Father Pritchard warned.
“That is fine by me David, and if he is foolish to put in a personal appearance I will wring his neck until such time as he tells us where my sisters are.” Ryman said his anger rising at such a thought.
“I would have thought that after your last experience with real evil John, you would have realised that I meant one of his tame demons might call.” Father Pritchard said amending his last statement.
“David, he is hardly likely to know where we are now is he, we only just got here.” Rob argued.
“Rob, there is much about the world of the supernatural as it is now termed, that you do not know, hopefully you are correct in your surmising’s but I think not. Bourbon will simply summon one of the lesser demons that he has under his control and order it to tell him of your current whereabouts. Unfortunately when he also finds out that you have found allies in your quest against him, allies already known to him, his anger will rise to even greater heights. He will send one of his more violent demons to attack us in the hope that one or more of us are either killed or simply chased away to cower in a church, never to reappear as one of his adversaries. It is why I drew the Pentagon, and it is why we will have to sleep inside one until our final battle is over.” Father Pritchard said regretfully.
Rob looked at his new friend and hoped that he was wrong, but after his own confrontation with Bourbon he wouldn`t bank on it. There was always the possibility that Bourbon didn`t consider him that much of a threat, Rob hoped, and would forget about him. John Ryman had been very wrong in thinking this, and so was Rob.
“Well if we are to be attacked by demons then one of us should keep watch while the others sleep. I`ll take the first watch until one o`clock tomorrow morning and then wake one of you to take over.” Ryman said.
Rob and John Ryman stepped inside the pentagram where they would spend the remainder of the night. Father Pritchard then picked up five long slender candles from the nearest corner of the room, and after placing one at each of the points of the pentagram, he lit them with an old and battered cigarette lighter. He then stepped inside of the pentagram and ordered them to kneel down, and when they were both ready he recited a Prayer.
“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou annointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever. Amen” Father Pritchard looked across at his two friends who also said amen. He then smiled sadly at them.
“I`m afraid that that is all that I can do for us tonight, but we shall be much better protected after I have purchased our symbols of protection in the morning. Oh but I do have something else for you.”
Father Pritchard dug into one of the pockets of his jacket and pulled out three small laminated cards.
“You will see that the prayer that I just said, Psalm twenty three, is on the card in your hand. When I had a parish I used to hand these out to my flock, freebees from God, I used to call them. Luckily, I still have some left. Reading from the card will be safer than trying to concentrate on the exact words if we are ever under attack. Some powerful demons can easily confuse you and there is no telling what words he will put into your mouth. I also have a wooden cross for each of us, these will offer protection against most minor demons and also I believe against vampires Rob.” Father Pritchard said looking across at Rob, who smiled. Father Pritchard then handed his two friends a small plain wooden cross about six inches in length.
They all then settled down to try to make the most of what would sure to be a very uncomfortable night. As the minutes slowly slipped, and even though their makeshift beds were a little uncomfortable, Father Pritchard and Rob did finally manage to fall into a light sleep. Ryman smiled grimly as he watched over them; this was a something he could never have predicted, not in a thousand years.
Nothing happened during the time Ryman sat there awake, watching for signs of evil entering into Father Pritchard`s house, and Rob took over the watch at one o`clock. Rob was on the point of falling asleep, tired after such a peculiar and tiring day, when he noticed one of the shadows lengthening in the room. His desire for sleep evaporated immediately as he sensed that danger had entered into the room. He was wide-awake now, and he realised that his mouth was decidedly dry, so he picked up the flask of water and poured some of its contents into a glass; he gulped it down while searching the room for any further sign as to what had triggered his senses. Rob shivered as the temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees, and he now knew that evil had entered the room.
Father Pritchard snapped wide-awake as he also sensed something was about to happen, the evil from within the shadow breaking into his shallow sleep.
“It has arrived Rob, I could feel it even while I was asleep.” With that, he gently shook Ryman.
“John, it`s time to wake up, our expected and very unwelcome
guest is just arriving.” Father Pritchard called softly to him.
“My god it`s cold in here.” Ryman said waking instantly. He rubbed his hands together in an effort to generate some heat while scanning the room for signs of the thing from hell.
“David, whatever it is, it`s over in the corner by the door, the shadow has been growing ever blacker and it’s taking on a more definite shape as every second passes.” Rob said uneasily.
A large figure had taken shape in the corner and it now moved forward towards them. It was in the form of a huge man, but it had bulging eyes and a strange hissing sound came from it. Its tongue was enormous, but forked like the tongue of a serpent and it flicked in and out of its wide mouth. The three friends unconsciously backed away and would have left the safety of the circle had not Father Pritchard realised in time that this was what the demon intended. He quickly grabbed a hold of each of them.
“Rob, John, take care, don`t leave the circle, it`s why it is moving towards us, it’s using our fear of the supernatural to make us careless. It will pounce on anyone who inadvertently leaves the safety of the circle, and I don`t know if I would be able to save you.” Father Pritchard shouted out to them.
The figure before them grew until its large head was touching the ceiling, and from out of its grotesque mouth a laugh almost exploded upon them making them all back up once again until they were almost touching the salt circle. It was Rob this time that warned the others of impending danger.
“I think it`s time to move forward lads, before we damage our circle and chummy here eats us.” Rob realised that he was once again sweating, and he noticed a film a sweat on the faces of his two comrades, as fear infected their hearts in this terrible struggle between good and evil.
Father Pritchard and Ryman looked at Rob as they attempted to take in his words, their minds temporarily a turmoil. Rob though grabbed them both by the arm and forced them to step forward two paces. The demon before them smiled grotesquely; on this creature, the smile looked almost surreal. Its eyes then began to grow, bulging even more than before, and inside his head Rob could hear something telling him to walk forward, to leave the circle of blessed salt and to journey with the demon to paradise. The three men as one began to walk forward, but something in Rob`s mind recalled his earlier encounter with Bourbon, when he too had attempted to hypnotise him. Rob told himself to ignore the words and he forced his eyes to look down at the floor, and away from the demon`s compelling eyes. He found that his hand was holding the laminated prayer card, and Rob pulled it from out of his pocket. He looked dumbly at it for just a moment, one moment more and his friends would be out of the protective circle of salt. Rob once again grabbed them and then he recited the words written proudly upon the card. His loud voice broke through the hypnotic trance that was holding his friends captive and brought them back to reality. The demon hissed loudly in anger, and Father Pritchard, ashamed at being tricked so very easily, pulled out of his jacket pocket a small glass bottle that was filled to the brim with holy water. Father Pritchard opened it and threw the contents at the demon while joining Rob in his recitation of the Prayer. The large demon before them screamed as the water fell on it, and it immediately disappeared in a cloud of smoke that filled the room with such an awful smell, but at least the terrible cold left them.
The three men began choking as the evil smell filled their noses and Father Pritchard rushed to the window and opened it wide, and then they all had a drink of water from the flask to wet their very dry throats, and also to try to wash away the smell that even filled their mouths.
“I`d better fill this flask again, just in case.” Father Pritchard said walking through to the kitchen.
John Ryman joined him so that he could cut a slice of bread from what remained of that day`s loaf.
“I need to eat something Rob, to try to still the butterflies flocking in my stomach.” Ryman said to Rob who had now joined him.
“I think that I`ll join you.” Rob said cutting another slice.
“That was a close one Rob, thankfully you were able to overcome the demon`s hypnotic grip and save us. We should be safe for the rest of the night, for this little escapade will have drained Bourbon of a lot of his strength. Even so we shall have to return to the circle as soon as that awful smell has left the room.” Father Pritchard said as he walked back into the kitchen after putting the refilled flask of water back inside the pentagram. He then joined them in their Spartan feast.
“Something within me brought to mind Bourbon`s previous attempt to take control of my mind. This must have broken the spell; and none too soon, for with another step we would all have been consigned to hell.” Rob exclaimed.
“Yes Rob, I believe that we were only seconds away from being kidnapped and bound for hell.” Ryman said. His tried to smile at his friend, but his smile, as per normal these days hardly appeared on his grim face, his thoughts had returned to his sisters and what they must be enduring, captive within a house filled with Satanists. Was he truly being punished for his audacity in believing, albeit for only a brief period in time, that he could bring Bourbon`s foul beliefs to the world at large, did he put his family in danger of losing not only their lives, but their immortal souls as well. He looked, sounded and in fact was exhausted by his ordeal with evil, as were his two friends.
“It may have been a close encounter with hell David, but even so we did seem to escape from its clutches rather easily. Is that the worst that we can expect?” Ryman asked rather uncertain as to whether he should be relieved if it was, or scared if it wasn`t.
“No I believe that Bourbon too is feeling a little exhausted and hoped to win an easy war. Now he will realise that we are not so easily put off and the next time that he attacks he may well commit the big guns.” Father Pritchard said just a little worriedly.
“What this morning?” Ryman wailed. This fight had exhausted him, and he felt that worse was to come? He sank down to the ground with his head in his hands.
“Come on John, you`re not alone this time, together we will see them off.” Rob said trying to build up Ryman`s spirits.
Ryman lifted his head and smiled up at his two friends, this was the first time he had been able to generate a real smile in ages.
“Well we wouldn`t want it too easy would we?” He asked and both men said in unison. “Yes we would actually.”
Kidnapped and Bound for Hell Page 14